Continued Reality: A Voltron Fanfiction

XERAS

     Flying through the wormhole is a bittersweet experience for Lance. He remembers all the times they did it before, when Allura was controlling the teleduv. All the planets they went to, all the missions they were sent on... He misses those times.

     Be extremely careful, Lance, Allura tells him. I'm sensing something terrible at the other end of this wormhole...

     "What do you mean by that?" Lance asks, though he isn't sure he really wants to know the answer.

     "What's that, Lance?" Keith asks over the headset.

     "Allura just said something terrible is on the other side of this wormhole," Lance says, feeling his pulse begin to quicken.

     I can't say what, I just have a feeling.

     Keith sighs. "I think I might have an idea of what it is," he says.

     "Oh really?" Lance says, folding his arms. Of course Keith would learn something about their mission and not tell them! "Care to share it with us?"

     Before Keith can respond, the team exits the wormhole. In front of them is a planet that appears similar to Earth. But instead of being bright blue and green, this planet is pale blue and brown.

     "Wow, this planet looks pretty desolate," Pidge says.

     "It definitely looks like it's seen better days," Hunk adds.

     Go to it, Allura tells Lance.

     "Guys, Allura is telling us to land on the planet," he says. But before he can say anything more, his markings glow brighter and his hands begin to control the lion involuntarily.

     "Uhhh... Allura, what's going on?!" Lance asks as the lion flies toward the planet.

     "Lance, where are you going?" Keith yells as he follows closely behind.

     "I have no idea!" Lance replies.

     I know where you need to go, Allura says. Just trust me.

     "Of course I trust you, but do you have to take control of me like this?" Lance asks. "Can't you just tell me where to go?"

     I apologize, but this just seemed to be the quickest way.

     The situation seems really strange to Lance, but he allows it to happen. The rest of the team follow suit.

     "I'm not sure how I feel about blindly following the lead of a dead princess in an idiot's head," Princess Lyna says. But everyone ignore her offensive comments and continue on.

     Once the team enters the planet's atmosphere, they are in awe at the destruction laid out before them. Blackened landscapes, fallen trees, busted homes... Something horrible obviously happened here, and recently.

     "What caused this?" Romelle asks, a break in her voice.

     "That's what we're here to find out," Keith replies.

     By means of Allura, Lance leads the group to a rocky area of the planet. They all land their lions near a mountainous region, and gasp once they see what's already there.

     "Is that... a Garrison ship?" Pidge asks.

     "That must be the ship Shiro arrived in," Keith says sadly.

     Exit your lion and approach Shiro's ship, Allura tells Lance.

     "Alright, alright... You sure can be bossy sometimes," Lance says.

     Would you rather I take control of you again? Because I will, if necessary.

     Lance only sighs in response, and exits the blue lion. Veronica follows behind him. He approaches Shiro's ship as everyone else exits their lions and watch him curiously.

     "What exactly are you doing, Lance?" Keith asks.

     "No idea," Lance replies. "Just doing what Allura tells me to."

     Lyna scoffs, but immediately changes her tune when Kosmo bears his teeth at her and lets out a low growl.

     I believe there is something else I can do to help, Allura says. Just touch the ship, and we'll see if this works.

     Lance inhales deeply, and then reaches out to touch the cold steel of the ship. He closes his eyes, and for a moment nothing happens.

     "Um... Should we be worried about him?" Hunk whispers to Pidge, who chuckles in response.

     "Be quiet!" Lance snaps at them. "Allura is trying to do something."

     Everyone remains silent. They wait for a few moments more, but still nothing happens.

     "Allura, what exactly–" Lance begins to ask. But he is interrupted by the awed gasps of his friends. He opens his eyes, and glances around to see ghostly silhouettes of buildings and people around them. And one of them, standing directly next to the ship, is Shiro.

     "Sh...Shiro?" Keith asks hesitantly, stepping towards the translucent figure. "Is it really you?"

     Tell Keith I apologize, but the figures around you are not real. Or at least, not anymore.

     "Sorry Keith, but he isn't real..." Lance says. "I think this is some kind of vision, maybe?"

     Correct. I am attempting to share with all of you what happened to Shiro while he was on this planet. I believe it will provide you with some of the answers you need.

     After Lance explains this to the others, they all watch as Shiro walks away from the ship and approaches a couple of the locals, who are a strange people with purple skin and long arms and legs.

     "My name is Shiro," he tells them. "I just found one of your people. He had been attacked by a creature, and didn't survive... but he gave me the coordinates of your planet before he died. He seemed worried that more of these creatures that attacked him might attack your world."

     The locals look worried. "Welcome to Xeras. We have recently heard some strange activity going on inside that mountain," one of them says, pointing at the nearby mountain. "A group of authorities are about to go inside and investigate."

     "I'm not sure that's a good idea," Shiro says. "I have personally seen one of these creatures. Admittedly, it was dead... But it was terrifying. If that is what your people will discover inside that mountain, you don't stand a chance!"

     Before Shiro has even finished his last sentence, a chorus of screams erupts from the mountain. A group of Xerans rushes out of it, only to be followed by a giant creature that bursts out of the bottom of the mountain. Just as Shiro said, the creature is absolutely terrifying, even in a ghostly vision. Its form is similar to a centipede, but with thousands of tiny legs all along the underneath of its body. It is so massive and long, that from beginning to end it could easily be taller than Voltron if it stood upright. Its huge, black eyes mirror the terrified people as they scatter in all directions.

     The sight of it is so horrifying, that the Paladins have to remind themselves this is just a vision to keep themselves from reflexively running in terror.